State loan stirs controversy for area business

TOWSON, Md. (WUSA9) -- How the government is spending your hard earned tax dollars is coming under fire.

More than $200,000 of loan money intended to help small businesses in blighted neighborhoods is going to one particular business that has become the target of Maryland's comptroller.

WUSA9 explains why the Green Turtle in Towson is at the center of controversy.

Jill Packo is the franchise owner of the Towson Green Turtle. She says her business is ideal for a Maryland program that lends money to businesses in blighted areas. According to her, the 400 block of York Road in Towson has fallen on hard times and has been left with abandoned store fronts all over.

"These programs are readily available and they have the money to lend, and that's what we were told that they were excited to find a perfect match," she said.

Now she's receiving a $240,000 state loan to help upgrade this Green Turtle.

Packo says the fixes which include a new roof deck will bring in more money and hopefully inspire other businesses to move in. But now Maryland's comptroller Peter Franchot says the money is going to the wrong people.

"For people in the Washington area. you got to realize Towson is the Bethesda of Baltimore. It's a very affluent community," said Franchot.

Clearly, Franchot doesn't think the Green Turtle in Towson is deserving of the loan.

"Towson is not a struggling community. That's what these tax dollars are designed, to jump start and revitalize that's why I voted no."

But the rest of the state's public works board voted in favor of it. This business woman is left wondering how a loan she qualified for, and will have to repay became so politicized.

"We're not the big franchise company. We are local family owned business that is just trying to make a living," said Packo.

Packo hopes what she is describing as a political mess will clear up soon because her repairs here are expected to be completed in November.